Sam Gibbons: “today I rise to support H.R. 4858, the Improving Access to Physicians in Medically Underserved Areas Act introduced by…”

“today I rise to support H.R. 4858, the Improving Access to Physicians in Medically Underserved Areas Act introduced by my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran). As the representative of the Second District of Nevada, I represent an area of over 100,000 square miles, including every rural community in the State, and I know all too well how difficult it is to recruit doctors and nurses to these areas. One program which has assisted our State in recruiting doctors to Nevada is the J-1 visa program. H.R. 4858 reauthorizes the J-1 visa program and increases the number of visa waivers for international medical graduates that a State may request from 20 to 30. Rural Americans deserve access to quality health care, and the J-1 visa program helps to achieve this goal. In fact, thanks to the J-1 visa program, over 60 doctors have come to Nevada over the past few years to practice medicine in underserved areas. I encourage all of my colleagues to support the successful program and vote for H.R. 4858.”